DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 4 and 6-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 4 recites “can be added to have better control of the adapter”. It isn’t clear whether this recitation is a positive limitation or not. Furthermore, it appears a “switch bottom” should be “switch button”. Otherwise it is not clear what a “switch bottom” is. For the purpose of examination, Examiner is interpreting a “switch bottom” as “switch button”.
Claim 6 recites “the top and bottom cover” can be different shapes. By the use of the ambiguous “can be” it isn’t clear whether “different shapes” is limiting or not.
Claim 7 recites “comprising the different ports can be arranged differently and are not limited to only listed ports”. It isn’t clear whether this claim is limiting at all, since nothing is positively added.
Claim 8 recites “the PCB layout can connect Ground, V and data pins to achieve more functions”. It isn’t clear whether this means that the PCB is merely connected to ground, “V” and data or whether they are connected to each other. For the purpose of examination, Examiner is interpreting the claim as indicating either possibility.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(d):
(d) REFERENCE IN DEPENDENT FORMS.—Subject to subsection (e), a claim in dependent form shall contain a reference to a claim previously set forth and then specify a further limitation of the subject matter claimed. A claim in dependent form shall be construed to incorporate by reference all the limitations of the claim to which it refers.
The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, fourth paragraph:
Subject to the following paragraph [i.e., the fifth paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112], a claim in dependent form shall contain a reference to a claim previously set forth and then specify a further limitation of the subject matter claimed. A claim in dependent form shall be construed to incorporate by reference all the limitations of the claim to which it refers.
Claim 7 recites “comprising the different ports can be arranged differently and are not limited to only listed ports”. This claim does not appear to add any positive limitations (or negative) and thus appears to fail to further limit claim 1 from which it depends.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claims 1-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chao U.S. Patent 9,270,038 in view of Chin US PGPUB 2023/0127316.
Regarding claim 1, Chao discloses a package of multiple port adapter [fig. 1] comprising:
a base with multiple openings process [figs. 1 & 3-4; plural openings for the female port 52 and for the male port 32], which allow different charge ports to access[figs. 1 & 3-4], a top cover with logo and holes [figs. 1, 3 & 9-10; col. 3, lines 44-49; the housing is in two halves with a top cover and bottom cover, both covers have holes for the ports and for the keychain; the word logo is not given patentable weight since it is merely printed matter, MPEP 2111.05], a USB type A male, USB type C male and female, USB micro-B male, and lightning male [col. 1, lines 30-60; col. 4, lines 23-30; all the tips listed except for the Mini B female; the USB female is listed as an alternative to the Apple lightning jack].
Chao does not explicitly disclose a Mini B female port.
However, Chin discloses a multiple port adapter comprising a Mini B female port. [par. 38; fig. 1].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Chao to further include a Mini B female port for the purpose of providing connections to older devices which still use a Mini B port, and since it has been held to be within the general skill of a worker in the art to apply a known technique to a known device (method, or product) ready for improvement to yield predictable results is obvious. KSR International Co. v Teleflex Inc., 550 U.S. 398, 127 S. Ct. 1727, 82 USPQ2d 1385, 1395-97 (2007).
Regarding claim 2, Chao discloses further comprising, separated PCB with wire bonding for grounds and V [column 1, lines 1-10; column 3, lines 1-10; a PCB with connections for voltage and ground].
Regarding claim 3, Chao discloses further comprising integrated PCB, which connect all the ports together [col. 3, line 50-col. 4, line 15].
Regarding claim 4, Chao does not explicitly disclose further comprising a switch bottom can be added to have better control of the adapter.
However, Chin discloses a multiple port adapter comprising a switch bottom can be added to have better control of the adapter [par. 15, 26 & 41; a switch which can control the provision of AC power].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Chao to further include a switch bottom can be added to have better control of the adapter for the purpose of allowing control over the transfer of external AC power, as taught by Chin (pars. 15, 26 & 41).
Regarding claim 5, Chao discloses further comprising the top and bottom cover are fabricated with holes, which can used to hanging a wires or chains to hook to the backpack or anything portable components [col. 4, lines 20-22; fig. 1, opening 17].
Regarding claim 6, Chao discloses further comprising the top and bottom cover can be different shapes [fig. 3; the top and bottom covers are slight different shapes to accommodate the alignment tab 68].
Regarding claim 7, Chao discloses further comprising the different ports can be arranged differently and are not limited to only listed ports [col. 1, line 36-55].
Regarding claim 8, Chao discloses further comprising the PCB layout can connect Ground, V and data pins to achieve more functions [column 3, lines 1-10; column 3, lines 1-10; a PCB with connections for voltage, data and ground].
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
Jakubowicz U.S. Patent 12,015,224 discloses an electronic device charger/adapter with male connectors and a female connector.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DAVID V HENZE-GONGOLA whose telephone number is (571)272-3317. The examiner can normally be reached M to F, 9am to 7pm.
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/DAVID V HENZE-GONGOLA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2859